1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed invention relates generally to automotive vehicles and in particular, to truck vehicles having truck body beds.
2. Description of the Related Art
To facilitate the transportation of a large variety of products, truck manufacturing companies have designed and produced a number of different size vehicles to handle varying transportation demands. For example, when materials exceeding approximately eight feet in length have to be transported, trucks known as flat bed trucks are typically used to handle the long materials. Such trucks have beds designed to accommodate long heavy materials such as lumber. In contrast, standard utility trucks, e.g., pick-up trucks, have beds that range typically from six to eight feet and are not specifically designed to handle long loads adequately. To haul materials longer than the length of a pick-up truck bed, certain state and federally instituted regulations require certain precautions be taken such as the placement of a red flag on the end of the material to warn drivers, approaching from the rear of the truck, that an extended load is extant in the vehicle ahead.
Some manufacturers and more significantly, after-market manufacturers, have devised systems known as ladder racks to enhance the capability of a pick-up truck to handle long loads. The ladder racks are essentially H-shaped tubular structures that are placed at the extreme longitudinal ends of a pick-up truck bed. Long materials are placed on the horizontal portions of the racks which provide vertical support for the materials. The top portions of the rack vertical legs extend above the horizontal portions and provide horizontal stability so that the materials do not shift laterally off the truck. Ladder-rack-type truck bed modifications are useful to the extent that long loads that extend beyond the rear of the truck can be elevated above the height of passenger vehicles. However, depending on the weight of the load, an upward shift in the center of gravity of the truck can lead to precarious driving situations. For example, turns have to be executed at slower speeds to avoid, or more precisely, to reduce the shift in inertia that takes place when a turn is negotiated. This factor significantly limits the amount of weight that can be placed on the ladder racks regardless of the maximum weight the racks can bear.
Additional problems arise when loading and unloading the ladder racks. Due to the fact that the horizontal weight bearing portions of the racks are suspended well above ground level, the user must lift the materials being transported up to the horizontal portions of the ladder racks. In the typical situation that a user would encounter on a construction site, the user must raise the materials with brute force overhead. The body movements that have to be executed place the user in awkward physical positions that could lead to injury. Similar problems arise when the material is removed from the ladder racks at the destination point.
Another solution to hauling long loads is to purchase a truck specifically designed to carry such loads. For example, trucks such as the aforementioned flat bed trucks have beds that are relatively low, flat and long. Trucks of this type enable the truck operator to transport heavy loads due to the combination of a long bed that lies low relative to the overall height of the vehicle. By providing complete horizontal and vertical support for the materials while maintaining a low center of gravity, the materials can be moved efficiently without jeopardizing the safety of the driver or any adjacent vehicles.
Although this effectively will solve the problems associated with hauling long heavy loads, additional problems arise. Foremost among the problems is the cost associated with either purchasing or renting a flat bed truck. The present invention solves these and other problems as well.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a means to transport heavy long loads without having to obtain a truck specifically designed to accommodate long heavy loads. It is a further object of the invention to provide an aftermarket accessory for pick-up truck or dump truck type vehicles that can be used to effectively and safely transport long heavy loads.
A still further object is to provide a truck body extension accessory that can be easily and cost-effectively manufactured. An additional object of the invention is to eliminate the need for expensive long bed or flat bed trucks to accommodate long heavy loads such as dimensional lumber exceeding eight feet in length.